Planooraph co



E. SCHNEIDER.

SEMI-AUTOMATIC MECHANISM FOR BREECH BLOCKS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3. I916.

Patented July 22, 1919.

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APPLICATION FILED JULY 3,19I6.

Patented July 22, 1919.

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E. SCHNEIDER. SEMI-AUTOMATIC MECHANIS R BREECH BLOCKS.

V APPLICATION FILED 3.1916. 1,310, 79, Patented July 22,1919.

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v I E. SCHNEIDER. SEMI-AUTOMATIC MECHANISMIOR BREECH BLOCKS.

I APPLICATION FILED JULY 3 I916.

v Patented July 22, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHFET 4- I I I I l I I 1 1 I L I 1 1 I THE COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH co., WASHINGTON, IL c4 "E. SCHNEIDER.

SEW-AUTOMATIC MECHANISM FOR BREECH BLOCKS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3.1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5..

THB COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (20-, WASHINGTON, D. C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

EUGENE SCHNEIDER, 0F LE GREUZO'I, FRANCE," ASSIGNOR TO'SGI-INEIDER & CIE., OF

PARIS, FRANCE, A LIMITED JOINT-STOCK COMPANY OF FRANCE.

SEMI-AUTOMATIC MECHANISM FOR BREECH-BLOCKS;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 22, 1919.

Application filed July 3, 1916. Serial No. 107,391.

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE SCHNEIDER, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at Le Creuzot, France, have invented new and useful Improvements in Semi-Auto.- matic Mechanism for Breech-Blocks, which is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention has for its object to pro Vide an improved mechanism for effecting the automatic opening and closing of breech blocks of the wedge type by means of energy taken from a hydro-pneumatic recoil brake.

According to this invention after the ordinary breech locking device has been unlocked, the movements of the breech block are produced by means of levers or any other mechanical parts for transmitting motion connected to the rod of a small piston which works in a cylinder of suitably larger diameter bored in the piston rod of the recoil brake. The said small cylinder is closed at its end forward of its piston, and it communicates at its other end with the body of liquid in the recoil brake.

An example of mechanism constructed in accordance with this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which 2-- Figures 1 and 1 together present a vertical longitudinal section partly in side elevation of the breech end of a gun illustrating the application thereto of the improved mechanism for actuating the breech block; the parts being shown in full lines in the position of closure of the breech. I

Fig. 2 is a partial section on the line II II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section on the line III-III of Fig. '1, through the axis of the breech locking device; the parts being shown in the positions they occupy during the recoil at the instant in which the breech locking device is unlocked for the purpose of allowing the breech to be opened.

Fig. 4 is a rear end elevation, the parts being shown in the open condition of the breech.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section partly in plan, of Fig. I. v

Fig. 6 is a cross section ofa detail on the line VI-VI of Fig. 1

Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively a side elevation and a plan, drawn to a smaller scale, of the device for operating automatically the breech locking bolt.

In all the figures :A is the gun barrel, and B is the cradle slide in which the recoil of the gun barrel takes place; C is the breech block which in the example, is adapted to move downward for opening, and upward for closing the breech.

D isthe rod of the piston E of a hydropneumatic recoil brake of ordinary con struction; it is fixed to the cradle B and it has a longitudinal, cylindrical bore d in which works a piston F of suitably smaller diameter. The rod Gr of this piston F works fluid-tight in the brake piston E, and is connected at its outer end to a member of a motion-transmitting device for actuating the breech block 0.

In the example, the piston rod G is connected to an arm H of a bell-crank lever II-I pivoted to the gun barrel A. The end of the arm I of this lever carries a stud z adapted to slide in a slideway c in the breech block C. I

The breech block C has tWo recesses 0 0 in which the nose of a spring bolt J is adapted to engage respectively in the closed and open positions of the breech. I

Before the firing ofthe shot, the parts .are in the positions shown in Fig. 1. When the shot has been fired, the gun barrel in recoiling in its cradle slide, carries with it together with the recoil brake cylinder, the piston F and its rod G which move respectively in the bore (Z and in the brake piston D, both of which remain stationary.

In the recoil, the bolt J engages by means of its tail j the inclined surface of a ramp K whereby the bolt is caused to move outward. As soon as the nose of the bolt J has moved out of the recess 0 the breech block C is free to move down by its own weight. This opening of the breech by the action of the weight of the breech block, is aided by the fact that since the movement of the piston F has produced a fall of pressure in the bore 03, so that the lever I-II is allowed to move down, the liquid pressure on the rear side of the piston F will move the latter in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 1), and thus help the weight of the breech block to move the lever HI into the position shown in dot and dash lines I H whereby the breech block is moved down completely as indicated by dot and dash lines at C (Fig. 1) to open the breech.

As the gun barrel returns into position for firing, the tail of the bolt J engages the rear side of the ramp K. The ramp K is mounted on, an arm k which is pivoted to the slide B and is held by a coiled spring M in its operative position resting against a stop N (Figs. 7 and 8).

The pressure of the bolt on the ramp K, due to the return of the gun barrel into position for loading, causes the ramp K to tip over as indicated in dot and dash lines in Fig. 7

When the gun barrel has returned com pletely into position for loading the breech is unlocked in the usual manner by the loading operation, namely, the rim 0 of the case 0 of the projectile in tilting the extractor arms P P, causes one of these arms to move the bolt J out of the recess 0 When the bolt has thus been unlocked, the breech block Will close the breech automatically. The pressure in the bore 0? has been restored, that is to say, the pressure in the bore has become equal to that of the body of liquid in the recoil brake. In these circumstances, the free side of the piston F is acted upon by a pressure that is greater than that acting upon its piston rod side, and the diflerence in these two pressures will move the piston F and its rod G so as to raise the breech block into position to close the breech, in which position it is held by the bolt J Whose nose engages in the recess 0 Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in What manner the same is to be performed, I declare that What I claim is 1: In combination, a gun provided With a breech-block and gun recoil means, means adapted both to lock said block in closed position and in open position, means in the path of the gun on recoil adapted to engage said locking means to release said block for opening, and means actuated by stored energy of said recoil means for moving said block into open and into closed position after being unlocked.

2. In combination, a gun, a breech-block and a hydro-pneumatic recoil brake includ ing a movable and a stationary element, means for locking said block both in closed position and in open position, means in the path of the gun on recoil adapted to engage said locking means to release said block for opening, and means operable by stored energy of the recoil brake for operating the breech-block comprising a piston, movable With the gun and having power transmitting connections With said block, the opposite faces of said piston being exposed to different fluid pressures in said movable and stationary elements of said brake on recoil and return of said gun, the resultant pressure eflecting the movement of said breech-block after being unlocked.

3. In combination, a gun, a brake cylinder carried by the gun, a stationary piston therein having a tubular stem opening into said cylinder, a second piston movable with the gun and working in said stem, one side of said piston being exposed to fluid pressure in said cylinder and the opposite side to fluid pressure in said tubular stem, a breech-block for the gun, and operating connections between said block and secondnamed piston, themovement of the gun on recoil and return determining the pressure on said piston to open and close the breech block. 7

4. In combination, a gun, a brake cylinder carried by the gun, a stationary piston therein having a tubular stem opening into said cylinder, a second piston movable with the gun and Working in said stem, one side of said piston being exposed to fluid pres sure in said cylinder and the opposite side to fluid pressure in said stem, a breechblock operably connected to said movable piston stem, means for locking said block in closed and opened position, means in the path of the gun on recoiladapted to engage said locking means to release said block for opening, the movement of the gun on recoil and return determining the pressure on said piston to open and close said breechblock.

5. In combination, a gun, a brake cylinder carried by the gun, a stationary piston therein having a tubular stem opening into said cylinder, a second piston movable With the gun and Working in said stem, one side of said piston being exposed to fluid pressure in said cylinder and the opposite side to fluid pressure in said stem, a breechblock mounted to move transversely of the axis of the gun, and bell-crank connections between said block and second-named piston, the movement of the gun on recoil and return determining the pressure on said movable piston to open and close said breech block.

6. In combination, a gun, a brake cylinder carried by the gun, a stationary piston therein having a tubular stem opening into said cylinder, a second piston movable With the gun Working in said stem, one side of said piston being exposed to fluid pressure in said cylinder and the opposite side to fluid pressure in said stem, a breech-block mounted to move transversely of the axis of the gun and operatively connected With said movable piston, means for locking said block in closed and open position, means in the path of the gun on recoil adapted to engage said locking means to release said block for opening, the movement of the gun on recoil and return determining the pressure on said movable piston to open and close said breech-block.

7. Mechanism for effecting the automatic opening and closing of gun breech blocks of the wedge type by means of energy taken from a hydro-pneumatic recoil brake com- Iprising in combination a hydro-pneumatic rake cylinder provided with a piston having a hollow stem opening into the brake cylinder, a second piston working with clearance in said stem, one side of said piston being exposed to pressure in said cylinder and on the opposite side to pressure of fluid confined between the closed end of said stem and said second-named piston, a breech block adapted to move transversely of the axis of the bore of the gun and operatively connected with said inner piston, and a spring-pressed bolt for locking said breech block in closed and open position, the fall of pressure in the closed space in front of said inner piston during recoil causing said piston to move said breech block into open position after release of said bolt from closed locking position, the restoration of pressure in said space causing said piston during return of the gun to battery to move said breech block into closed position after withdrawal of said bolt from open locking position. y

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EUGENE SCHNEIDER.

Witnesses:

CHAs. P. PREssLY, R. A. SERCLINGEN.'

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

